Let’s begin with a definition, by example, of dysfunctional governing: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the United States Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary.
In 2000, the World Health Organization determined that according to its criteria, the United States had eliminated measles. But 2025 saw sustained outbreaks, notably in Texas, Utah, Arizona, and South Carolina, to the extent that “elimination status” is in jeopardy. The logical fix is to raise vaccination rates to ensure collective herd immunity. But this is not the CDC plan.
As GovFacts.org notes, RFK, Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative “represents a fundamental shift from collective herd immunity toward what they call ‘medical freedom,’ ‘individual decision-making,’ and ‘radical transparency’ about vaccine safety and ingredients.” Of course, those are morally lofty concepts. If they are linked coherently to people’s dependencies, they can be useful tools for addressing a wide range of social issues. The problem here, however, is that deadly viruses are not the least bit affrighted by righteous rhetoric. The lesson is clear: Take care that the glamour of idealism does not entice away from the sight of real pain and suffering that needs alleviation.
